To celebrate Bridget’s Day

Feb 1 first day of spring

Named Imbolc here in Ireland

A poem I read with Steve Cooney on guitar.

The words are an ancient vocal charm

The Invocation of the Graces, collected in the Scottish Hebrides by Alexander Carmichael, from the last of the old ways there.

I selected some lines.

Invocation of the Graces

From

Carmina Gadelica

I bathe thy palms
In showers of wine,
In the lustral fire,
In the seven elements,
In the juice of the rasps,
In the milk of honey,
And I place the nine pure choice graces
In thy fair fond face,
The grace of form,
The grace of voice,
The grace of fortune,
The grace of goodness,
The grace of wisdom,
The grace of charity

The grace of choice maidenliness,
The grace of whole-souled loveliness,
The grace of goodly speech.

Thine is the skill of the Fairy Woman,
Thine is the virtue of Bride the calm,
Thine is the faith of Mary the mild,
Thine is the tact of the woman of Greece,
Thine is the beauty of Emir the lovely,
Thine is the tenderness of Darthula delightful,
Thine is the courage of Maebh the strong,
Thine is the charm of Binne-bheul

Thou art the joy of all joyous things,
Thou art the light of the beam of the sun,

Thou art the surpassing star of guidance,
Thou art the step of the deer of the hill,
Thou art the grace of the swan of swimming,
Thou art the loveliness of all lovely desires.

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